October 5, 1918 - February 24, 2013
Thomas Algier Carpenter died in Bend, Oregon on February 24, 2013, at the age of 94. He was surrounded by his sons as he passed away peacefully three weeks after suffering complications from a fall. Tom was born in Utica, N.Y. on October 5, 1918, to Stephen and Margaret Carpenter. He married Nancy Littell Bonter in 1948 in Cambridge, N.Y.
Tom graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY in 1940. He joined the Navy in 1942 serving four years. An English school teacher, he taught at the Episcopal Academy in Overbrook, PA; Port Leyden Central in Port Leyden, NY, and Boonville Central in Boonville, NY. He retired in 1980 and moved to Bend, Oregon in 1984, where he lived the remaining years of his life.
In college Tom was active in community theater and was a professional tap dancer. He loved animals and was active in breeding award winning beagles. His house was always filled with birds and many people now own the descendants of the finches that he raised. He was active in the various organizations connected to those
activities, as well as his other hobbies of horticulture and tropical fish. He was also an avid hiker, skier and cyclist.
He was a long time communicant of St. Martin's Catholic Church of Port Leyden, NY, and of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Bend, Oregon. His smiling face and outgoing nature will be missed by all.
He is survived by his two sons, Samuel Carpenter and wife, Linda of Bend, Oregon, and Stephen Carpenter of Albuquerque, NM, and stepson Robert Bonter of Port Leyden, NY, as well as two grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His brothers, George and Stephen, preceded him in death. A funeral Mass will be held at the historic St. Francis Catholic Church in downtown Bend on Thursday, February 28, at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers please make contributions to Building Fund, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 2450 NE 27th St, Bend, OR 97701. Please visit the online registry for the family at:
www.niswonger-reynolds.com
